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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26689051">Check In</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustAMod/pseuds/JustAMod'>JustAMod</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Habbenings [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Smile For Me (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Other</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 10:34:22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>12,143</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26689051</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustAMod/pseuds/JustAMod</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Jamie doesn't dislike going to dentists or anything. Jamie is just broke as shit living all the way out here on their own some, and doesn't exactly trust very easily for any one to go poking around in their mouth.<br/>but also their mouth H U R T S.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Dr. Boris Habit/Original Character(s), Kamal Bora/Wallus Breadbear, Randy Hapukurk/Gillis Socco</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Habbenings [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1876402</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Walkins Welcome</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>probably takes place after the epilogue period of time, waaay after the Habby-tarium and Growth takes Tyme events.<br/>just a little slice of life thing i wanted to write</p>
    </blockquote><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jamie has some dental pain due to poor brushing Habits<br/>speaking of Habit...</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>well, there was no ignoring it now. there was no pretending, this was the point of no return.</p><p>for as soon as the cool slushie like mixture touched the back of his mouth, and the surgery cold pain spiked through his jaw and head, Jamie knew that there was no turning back from this familiar sensation </p><p>He had a cavity.</p><p><strong><em>Fuck</em></strong>.</p><p>the amount of pain it caused was enough to cause the man to hunch over, pulling the drink away from him and setting it on the table before he simply held his jaw with his hand, trying to warm it from the outside as it felt like his back tooth was twisting and writhing in it's socket. the pain radiated throughout him, feeling as if some how it were unscrewing the molar itself with yanking motions.</p><p>"Hey James, you good?" Kamal placed a hand on the other's shoulder, earning the attention of the rest of the group at this sudden change in the mood of the outing.</p><p>a few of them had decided to go out and about, as it was such a nice day after all. they had decided to go to the diner in town, since they had recently purchased a slushie machine for the summer. Randy was quite proud of it, as it had brought in quite a crowd in the small town of Farroad. even if there were some of the bigger chained coffee shops here and there, there was something more comfortable about going to one of the oldest ma and pa style buildings that had managed to flourish still here</p><p>small town, close community, ended up supporting each other decently enough</p><p>so that's how the small group had decided to come here. Trevor, Putunia and Daffy (also know as 'flower kid') who were all interested in the promised sugary cold drinks. Gillis, who was making an excuse to come see his boyfriend at work. Boris, Kamal and Jamie, who were more or less watching over the kids to make sure they didn't have TOO much sugary drink.</p><p>but of course, they wanted their own drinks as well.</p><p>that was how it had gone down, with Gillis at the counter, chatting away with Randy (you could almost see the visible hearts hanging around them), Trevor, Daffy and Putunia were comparing their strange concoctions and mixtures (since they had filled their cups half way with one flavor, then the other half with another, as kids seemed to do). Kamal and Jamie had gotten their simple drinks (cola for Kamal, and caramel for Jamie), with Boris still at the machine, figuring out just how many shots of each flavor he wanted to mix together (children did like to mix drinks after all). and the sudden questioning of one of their own got at least a few eyes over on the curled over man.</p><p>uttering a soft whine, still not enjoying being any kind of center of attention, Jamie managed to straighten himself up to sit normally in his chair, taking a breath in as the radiating pain began to subside. the warmth of his hand was enough to counter the sharp cold that had taken over most of his senses, he waved off the concerned looks he was getting "all good, all good just uh...just teeth freeze...?" that was a thing ,yeah? he had sensitive teeth, they all knew that..in various degrees</p><p>frowning, Daffy came over, placing their drink on the table beside Jamie's and signing slowly at the man. all of them had taken the time to learn Daffy's preferred manner of speech, especially in public, but Jamie was some times a little slower at reading. watching their hands carefully, Daffy asked <em>'you sure? that was really different than normal teeth freeze'</em></p><p>perceptive child, as always, Jamie placed his hand over theirs and sighed lightly "it's no big deal, probably just chewed on the tiny ice wrong. i'll be alright, ok?" smiling, he rubbed his thumb on Daffy's hand before removing his own back to his drink. he wasn't going to make any of these people worry, his friends, his second family at this point.. no, he would suck it up, deal with it like a mature adult....and drink so the cold, danger fluid of his drink only went on one side of his mouth.</p><p>over by the slushie machine, Boris was watching them from the reflection on the machine, orange eye focused on the group in quiet contemplation.</p><p>-</p><p>walking the kids home after their outting, they had left Gillis back at the diner (he had decided he wanted to wait until Randy got off of his shift so they could go home together) they were seeing Trevor home. Boris was carrying Putunia, it was fairly late for little kids after all, and she was well and thoroughly run out after running around the whole day with Daffy and Trevor. speaking of which, Trevor gave a nervous smile and wave, heading towards his cousin's house. waiting until the excitable werewolf was inside of his den, welcomed by the rowdy sounds of barking and laughter, the wolf pack welcoming home one of their pups.</p><p>Jamie chuckled a little bit at it, brushing their thumb over over Daffy's fingers, making their way to the bus stop. it'd be just a bus ride out of town and to Boris's cabin, where three of them lived. it had taken a little bit of moving around to make the rooms set up for the kids. originally Daffy had been staying in a hotel before the Habitat, and then after the Habitat they had been staying with Jamie, but it was much better and safer for them to be in a real house, instead of staying at the closed Habitat all the time.  plus Boris had so many flowers!! it was a great place for Flower Kids!</p><p>the bus came and they all got on, Jamie picking up Daffy to sit on his lap, letting them see the window and the town passing by, and allowing the other man to sit back and take a breath. his jaw was still just a bit sore and aggravated, so when he helped drop off Daffy and Putunia at Boris's, he'd try to either catch a bus back to town to see if he could get some pain killers, or...maybe Boris would have some? </p><p>ah but had he over heard the little oddness back at the diner? he hadn't mentioned it, if he had. sparing a glance over to Boris, the man was humming softly, eyes closed as he gently rubbed the back and brushed the hair of the child he carried. it was a little hard to believe that this man, so delicate and soft with his adoptive daughter, had been an unhinged maniac bent on ripping out every one's teeth just a year and some change prior. but there was a softness to him now, the way he kept his cheek gently pressed against the top of her head and ran his fingers through her little curls. Jamie couldn't help the smile on his face..it really did warm him to see how far Boris had come from back then. alot of them had come pretty far, actually.</p><p>however his tooth decided to remind him that it wasn't feeling so good, his smile seemingly agitating it and causing Jamie to wince just a little bit, trying to brush it off as a clearing of his throat as he refocused himself on the window instead. he didn't notice the dark reflection of Boris in the window, staring at him with one red eye. he didn't notice the way the green eyes of Daffy seemed to make eye contact with Boris. Nor did he notice the exchange, so subtle as it was, between the two. focusing his gaze on the far mountain range and the night sky quickly darkening with every passing minute.</p><p>the bus stop came, and Jamie helped to carry Daffy to the cabin, nestled in a kind of open grove in the woods. it was a dirt path off the road, so you couldn't see the house unless you were half way down it. to twisty and turny, and with a few other dirt paths too, it was very easy to get lost if you didn't know exactly where you were going. but luckily Boris was leading the way, and also the fact Jamie had been here quite a few times too. Boris didn't really need the help, as he was the main reason that the Habitat had become as large and impressive as it had! but, well.. friends helping you make your home a home was also really nice, wasn't it? and some of the other Habitian's had helped as well. mostly Jamie had just helped relocate trees and flowers, lift some logs and rocks, y'know simple stuff.</p><p>coming down to the driveway opening now, seeing the house in it's tucked away little area, the sight really did settle him in a pleasant way as he adjusted his hold on Daffy. there was a comfortable silence that hung in the air, that had really been there since the more talkative ones either passed out or went home. it wasn't so unusual for Boris to be quiet, though he usually was fairly talkative, but Jamie could only assume he didn't' want to risk waking up Putunia or Daffy, who was now starting to rub at their eyes just a little bit</p><p>"Don't worry.." speaking slowly, Jamie tucked one of their locks of hair behind their ear "you'll be able to get cozy soon" he chuckled at the huff he got, but smiled a little when the finger he had used was lightly grasped and squeezed. Flower Kid had become fairly important to Jamie, to all of them really. so the gesture was met with something of a purr and a gentle head touch from the man carrying them "don't worry, i got you"</p><p>"i can get the door 4 u" Boris spoke softly, earning Jamie's attention on him with a curious look. it wasn't as if either of them couldn't open the door with the children in their arms...also it WAS Boris's house, keys were not a thing that Jamie had on his person, but he gave a weak smile, trying his best not to make that back tooth hurt again "sure thing, thanks"</p><p>with a hum of acknowledgement, Boris took a few more steps ahead of Jamie, his long legs gave him the ability to surpass the other, making Jamie blow a bit of his own hair out of the way at the slightly show-off-y action of tallness. but when he watched the door simply open for Boris, he did have to double take a little bit. what, had he gotten automatic doors? some kind of sensor or something?</p><p>unsure but not terribly phased, Jamie walked inside, blinking faintly at the dim lighting. a few lamps seemed to have either been left on or had been turned on when the sun went down. either way, the home had been illuminated and cozy looking from the inside, and was just as much so now inside. eyes adjusting and looking around the room, Jamie watched Boris make his way back over to him</p><p>"Gib me Daffy and I will 'tuck' them in2 bed" expression and voice both soft, he held out his free hand for the child now starting to nod off a bit more. ah right, Jamies didn't do 'tucking in' after all</p><p>"sure thing" helping to maneuver the sleepy flower now into the arms of the other. he lightly brushed a few of their petals of their hat away from their face, giving Daffy a gentle boop on the nose "see you soon then kiddo. sleep well"</p><p>Jamie watched as Boris went to take the kids to their rooms, turning around to head to the door when</p><p>"Jamee, y don't u stay 4 a bit" </p><p>huh?</p><p>blinking, Jamie looked over at the man, simply smiling at him from the door before heading into the kids room. stay? for how long? why? oh...well the bus wouldn't be here for a bit, that was true. and he was a bit tired from walking</p><p>"okidok" answering at normal volume, since the door not opening would be more indication of the fact, he made his way to the living room and decided to take a seat on the couch, letting himself just flop onto it, arm hanging over the side and everything. actually sitting and taking it easy now, he was a hell of a shade of exhausted. he loved hanging out with his friends and all, but it was still exhausting to have to get up early enough to do so with them, and then all of the walking around and interacting and just...oooh boy, he was a tired cryptid.</p><p>sitting there with heavy eye lids, he managed to open them after blinking for too long, looking around the inside of this cabin. there were new art pieces up on the walls, and more potted plants then the last time he had seen. he saw a few children sized capes lingering around the floor over in one corner, where some toys and drawing supplies were left out with some papers. it was good that he was encouraging their creative sides, and it pleased Jamie to see some of the drawings from here. some of them were of Putunia's super hero alter ego. alot of them were of flowers...oh there was teh drawing Dallas had made that Daffy liked! nice.</p><p>lost in pictures and memories, he didn't hear the soft shutting of the bedroom door. the clickity clack shoes had been removed, and so the soft steps of Boris went unheard as Jamie stared at some of the drawings. he remembered helping Daffy with a few of them, either with lining or coloring some of the pieces. there were some that were more abstract, such as flower petals and dabs that made up a whole image of a flower, or the more detailed ones with strokes of bold black that helped shape and frame the colors. Daffy really was coming along with their artistic pursuits, and for that Jamie felt warm and fuzzy about.</p><p>so enamored by the pictures and memories attached to them, he didn't notice how Boris crept up behind him. hands behind his back and watching Jamie with a quiet expression, Boris's gaze shifted from the paintings and pictures hung up on the wall then back to the man staring at them. yes, if it weren't for the actions of this individual here in his home, these pictures wouldn't exist. this home wouldn't exist. the warmth in his chest that was being weighed down upon by the offer he knew he had to give wouldn't exist, and he wouldn't have the strength nor compassion to work past the weight in order to get it out there.</p><p>Boris took a breath through his nose, trying to settle his own nerves as he clapped his hands together, announcing his very close proximity to Jamie with the sound, causing the other one to almost leap out of his skin. with a muted gasp, Jamie flinched back, looking up at Boris with wide eyes and a confused expression. it was cute enough for the taller man to chuckle, leaning back a little as he smiled "O! I am soree, I did not 'mean' 2 startle u that bad!" a little snicker left his lips, and it earned him a squint from the other man, who finally fixed his semi crouched and ready position and posture.</p><p>"uh-huh, i've heard that before" with a roll of his eyes, Jamie side stepped a little out of the way of the pictures, turning his attention back to them "seems you and the little sprouts are getting along well. you getting them art lessons?"</p><p>"mMmmmm some-thing like that" swaying his hands down to his side, he'd smile at the pictures "Dallas comes and paints with Putunia and Daffy from time 2 time. they r also learnimg from skool" he'd tilt his head to the side, staring at one of the more abstract paintings "I 'think' it is helpimg"</p><p>following suit of Boris and mimicking him, Jamie leaned to the side as well, staring at the drawing from another angle...and oh!! from this way, the paint smears took a different shape entirely and had a smiling face instead of a flower.</p><p>"whoa, you weren't kidding" with a little chuckle, Jamie righted himself, taking a moment to look at some of the more abstract drawings and tilt his view point. of course it would be Daffy of all people to draw in a way that would have to be viewed from different angles. how hard had this kid worked on it? and how did their brain even work like that? he truly didn't know, but he was a little excited to see what else the kid did "hey, lemme know when ever another art session happens, okay? i'll just hop on the bus and head over for it....well like, here i mean.." snorting, Jamie turned to Boris "i doubt i could just go to...the...school.."</p><p>he wasn't quite sure his voice caught in his throat the way it did. Boris did tend to hover near people. he had a difficult time judging the space and distance of himself and others. and with being such a big guy, looming was an occurrence that tended to happen quite frequently. he had really gotten use to it, and most of the time it was almost a comforting thing, to know that Boris was so near. but some times also it could be a little spooky, depending on the context or mood in the air</p><p>and this mood felt a little odd, the way he was starting at Jamie. his eyes were fixated on Jamie's face, and that made it feel warmer under the intense gaze. was he upset about something? or perhaps bothered or...maybe Jamie had over stayed his welcome? no, Boris had gotten better at wording his problems as of late..if Jamie had said something, he would say something</p><p>"Didja hear me buddy?" Jamie prompted, taking a little breath when Boris blinked, thawing from his statue stillness as he met the other man's gaze </p><p>"Hmmm? Sorree, no. what did u say?"</p><p>"just...lemme know when ever art sessions happen. i'd love to join in" repeating carefully, he reached out to lightly pat Boris's arm, another kind of motion to try and settle the odd tension in the air that made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end and eat climb up to his ears "haven't had a good sit down with Dallas, Daffy and I in a while...and Putunia would be a wonderful addition to that. do you draw with them?"</p><p>"O, Yes, sometimes" he'd nod absently, making his way a bit closer to Jamie as he spoke "I tend 2 do more thimgs with paints on bigger canvases. i have tried 2 draw 'on' the paper Dallas brings, but it just ends up around it instead" he'd chuckle lightly, his cheeks turning darker green as he played with some of his rusty curls, wrapping them around his finger in slow motions</p><p>but Jamie perked up at this, bigger canvases? did that mean he was painting scenes again? "do you have any of them? i'd love to see them! i love what you tend to make"</p><p>not expecting that excitement, Boris did chuckle nervously at that, fiddling more with his hair at this "O may-be some time. they r all put 'away' right now. i would not wamt 2 wake the kids" the disappointment must have been obvious on Jamie's face, because teh man gave him a smile "do not woree! we can set it up for n-e-other time"</p><p>"true, yeah..it is actually rather late" rubbing the back of his neck, he winced a little bit at the dull throb in his mouth. he really needed to get on the bus back if he was going to get any pain killers...which did bring to mind "hey, you don't have any Tylenol do you? or some kinda pain killers?" rubbing at his neck, he'd peer up at the other man with a curious look "if not that's ok, just thought i'd ask"</p><p>giving a quizzical look, Boris straightened up, staring down at Jamie with one brow cocked in question "pain-killers? Tie-len-all?" rubbing his finger on his chin, he shook his head "No...i do not thimk I have n-e of those on hand...why?" looking back down to Jamie, he tilted his head ever so slightly to the side "are you in 'pain'?"</p><p>despite how simple the question was, and even more so the answer, he felt a lump lodge in his throat at it. he didn't really want to admit to Boris that his tooth hurt. that was...well.. a little bit of an awkward subject, now wasn't it? and it wasn't as if it really mattered what kind of pain he was in, so Boris was just being curious at this point...sooo what did it matter what answer he gave him?</p><p>"just a bit of back pain" Jamie offered, rubbing at his neck again "nothing i can't handle long enough to get back to town or something...which i should head out to see about the bus situation. don't want to miss it and be stick in your hair hahah" side stepping to the door, he'd give a little wave "thanks for letting me hang out here for a bit. i'll make sure to stop by soon. we should do this hanging out thing again soon, too! when the kids are awake and rested and all that.."</p><p>"Jamee.." Boris took a step towards them, but the other man was heading towards the door</p><p>"don't worry, my cell is charged and all that so i'll text you when i get back home" he'd wave a hand, moving the other to the handle. the tension in his body was coiling up rather quickly now with the admittance of pain. he didn't want Boris to know, he didn't want to risk triggering him or making him feel bad. it was just a little tooth ache, he could deal with it long enough to get back-</p><p>the large and heavy weight of a hand hitting the door made Jamie jump, a cold sweat coming across his skin as a voice murmured in his ear</p><p>"<em>Jamee</em>."</p><p>gulping lightly, he turned slowly, looking up at the man who currently was looming over him. much closer than before, with much more intent on doing just that, Boris had his hand firmly pressed against the door. even if Jamie tried, he knew he wouldn't be able to budge it in the slightest. in terms of physical strength, Habit definitely topped him in that department. so taking a breath and trying to calm his hammering heart, Jamie offered a slight little smile "y-yeah? what's up??"</p><p>not amused by his casual reply, Boris leaned in even closer, holding Jamie's gaze as he spoke slowly and steadily, making sure his words would be understood by the much more shaken individual whose back was literally to the door.</p><p>
  
</p><p>"<em>Open. your. mouth.</em>"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Inspection</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It felt as if time had stopped, and along with it his heart beat. had he died? had he like...passed out from pain because of the cold of the drink before? was this a dream? a nightmare? oh he really truly wasn't sure. the only thing Jamie was wholey aware of was the heat creeping up his cheeks and across his face.</p><p>back to the wall of the solid door of this cottage home, he stood with his hands pressed firmly against it's frame, heart hammering away in his chest as he stared up at the orange eyes that held his gaze. the entirety of his own body was nearly swallowed up and hidden by the large form of Boris, who currently was looming over him with a frown on his own face. there were very few things that could make him look this way, and truth be told it had been a while since Jamie had seem him so...perturbed. </p><p>it actually caused a faint trembling to go across his body, quite involuntary as it was. eyes wide and staring, he tried to search Boris's own for some kind of explanation behind his request....no, it wasn't a request</p><p>"<em>Jamee</em>"</p><p>it was an <em>order</em>.</p><p>swallowing dryly and trying to find his lungs to use them again, a squeak of a reply came from the man as he tried to force himself to become one with the door even further "t-that's a real oDD rEQu<em>EST</em>" his voice was uneven and cracking, shifting his hand across the door. where was the handle? he had to try to open it. didn't it swing outward? god he hoped it swung outward. he'd rather fall backwards and crack his head on the porch than stay in this close heated moment for a second longer.</p><p>it was particularly hard to ignore just how warm Boris actually was. with his arm over Jamie's head and his body all around his field of view, the warmth that came from the other man was a bit surprising. one wouldn't see Boris an consider him a 'warm' individual. and perhaps that was true for things like his fingers and feet, which were written off as 'poor circulation'. whatever the case being, the rest of him was quite heated, especially his torso area. so to have him so close was causing Jamie to feel quite over heated himself. was the room spinning from that, or because he wasn't breathing enough?</p><p>despite Jamie's frantic shuffling for the door, Boris's brow just pulled together, a look of almost confusion and worry knitted together by thick eye brows "May-b so, but I have a 'hunch' a-bout why u r needimg pain-killers. and if I am rite..." raising his left hand, Jamie's wide eyes shifting from his face to his hand with baffled embarrassment growing with each second on his face. what was he going to do with that hand? what was his hunch? did he...?</p><p>dead pan expression and tone, Jamie blurted out their first thought "the slushie's betrayed me" </p><p>no one could really keep a straight face with that, could the?</p><p>Boris blinked, eyes wide for a moment, before he pulled away and let out a dying seal noise of a laugh. the tension in the air and coiling up inside of Jamie was immediately alleviated, giving him a chance to take a breath as he chuckled out a few laughs of his own. Boris was taking most of the brunt of the 'hah-ha's right now, holding his hands on his knees as he wheezed and snickered. </p><p>"really blind sided you, huh?"</p><p>"-WHEEEZE-"</p><p>"didn't know you could speak slush"</p><p>"<em>JAMEE</em>-"</p><p>"shoulda been more careful with class secrets man." Jamie laughed lightly, holding his arms out as Boris reached for him, for stabilization. he was shaking with his laughter and there were tears in his beautiful orange eyes as he leaned against Jamie for support. once again the shorter man found himself pressed up against the wall, but this time it was to keep himself upright as Boris used him for much the same. those large green hands gripped around his arms easily, although gently. he was grasping but not gripping too hard to crush his biceps. Boris was always so gentle with his strength..</p><p>snickering and shifting his grasp to be a bit firmer, Jamie patted at him a few times "ok ok, take a breath there man. think of boring things, like uhh...taxes, or the IRS. those are boring, right?"</p><p>the giggles he was met with seemed to imply they weren't boring enough "mY rEebS Hu Rt " Boris managed to choke out between his laughing fit, the tears that had been actually managing to slip down his face as he shook his head, struggling to breaths.</p><p>"uhhhh ok what about uhh...sad puppies-"</p><p>"NOoOOOO"</p><p>"YEESss sad puppies in a box in the rain, or uhh...snails? bastard snails, eating all of your vegetables" </p><p>"NoooOooo" Boris wailed, taking a deep breath in now as he managed to get his fooding with the serious-er topics. another breath, and another, and it seemed he was getting a handle on his out burst of mirth. with a final huff and a few wayward snickers, he slipped his hands to rest on Jamie's shoulders, sighing in defeat "Jamee, dar-ling...U cannot just 'do' that 2 meeee..!"</p><p>"in my defense" raising a hand, he carefully pushed the fluffy hair away from the darker green face of Boris now, brushing away at some of the tears that had managed to fall from the laugh attack "you were in my splash zone of humor. it's not my fault you ignored the warning lines"</p><p>"SnRK- SToooOP"</p><p>"it never stops baby, i can't shut it off. the laughter machine is awake. you can't do-" a twinge of pain caused him to wince, covering his jaw instinctively as he uttered a soft "o-ow..."</p><p>nothing sobered Boris up as quickly as that did, expression shocked and then falling back into his serious one, he held Jamie's shoulders tightly "...Jamee..i may not b workimg as a den-tist n-e-more...but that doesm't mean I 'forget' b-ing 1.." with his lips pressing into a line, he'd breathe through his nose "...you have been hurtimg all day. i took note. the sugar and cold made 'it' worse. talkimg is startimg 2 'hurt'. that's not good, Jamee.. why havem't you gone 2 a den-tist..?"</p><p>as the topic shifted back to his injury-by-stupidity and neglect, Jamie fidgeted slightly under the grasp and gaze of the taller man, holding his hands together and making odd shapes and symbols with his fingers "look it's not like i wasn't <em>gonna</em> or anything...just y'know...don't have the time or like...the money or like....the paper work...or insurance...or like literally anything i <em>need</em> to do it, y'know?? and like..!" raising his hands a bit, he'd let out a distressed huff "it wasn't THAT bad like, yesterday?? it was sorta tolera-ow-tolerable! and like if i just chew on one side of my mouth or drink in JUST the right way, it's fine-"</p><p>"-Jamee-"</p><p>"-and like if i go, i have to find a dentist i actually TRUST, cuz like that one blonde bitch filed my teeth down Boris and I can't, I can't Lose moRE Teeth-" a whine slipped out of his throat, gripping his hair slightly as his picking picked up "I can't lose more of myself because some one thinks they know best, i-i can't ok? and so i have to find a good one and o-one that will listen and maybe someonewhowillgowithmebecauseican'tgoalonebecauseiftheydon'tlistentomeandevenifigoifidonthavemoneythentheywont-"</p><p>a hand gently pressed to the side of his face, teary eyes snapping open and alert to the orange ones staring back at him. was he breathing? he didn't feel like he was breathing. in fact he felt like he was falling. falling through the floor and out of the world, like a glitched character in a buggy video game. he was gripping onto the hands that held his face, staring with blurry eyes at the man speaking words that sounded miles away and under water</p><p>"Jamee... i will count 2 5, al-rite? i need u 2 'breathe' 4 me-"</p><p>"Nono nono-"</p><p>"shhhh...u can do that. u can 'breathe'.." he said softly, brushing the pads of his fingers against Jamie's cheek in delicate motions "please?"</p><p>"Hnnnn..." with shaky bobs his head, he nodded as best he could. </p><p>carefully, slowly, Boris counted him through his breathing. a 'trick' he had been taught by an 'old friend' apparently. some ginger man who had passed through his life in the past. anxiety was something he had dealt with all of his life, and certain tricks helped here and there. Boris didn't favor biting into lemons (and they weren't always around) and walking quickly away from a situation didn't always work. but breathing? breathing he could do.</p><p>Breathing Jamie could do.</p><p>so finally, eventually, they were sitting in relative quiet. the deep breaths stabilized Jamie, his hands still resting on the hands that held him and grounded him. even with the slightest pangs of pain from his tooth, he was able to focus almost entirely on Boris. only when those gentle and rough beans wiped away at the tears on his face did he close his eyes, sighing gently into the hands there</p><p>"sorry..t-thank you just...sorry.." sighing, he slipped one of his hands onto Boris's ,staring at his chest more than his face "...just really... <em>really</em> stressed out, and the idea of adding more onto that just...scares me a lot. i know i have to, i just..." another sigh, a wordless expression of quiet defeat of the situation. it's not like he could just go without treatment. it was probably a cavity, if he had any recall of all of the dental work he's had over the years. it wouldn't be THAT big of a deal. he could do it, and he knew he could...just had to find a dentist first.</p><p>but Boris continued to watch him, eyes gentle but still staring at Jamie's face. there was a thoughtful look in them as he looked the other over. from the near invisible scars on his face (one near his right eye and one over his upper lip, in a similar location to Boris's own.) to the faintest of freckles that appeared on his skin from the sunlight he had been getting, and the tan that was from that as well. from the curls that framed his face in their fluffy, soft way. to the way his teeth looked as he spoke. Jamie's teeth were...hardly ideal, but dentist terms and wants. Boris even internally winced at the fact he had once mocked them, calling them 'broken' and 'ugly'. '2 broken 2 steal' he had said, and he regretted it terribly. Jamie had taken the words so deeply to heart... and how could he have known that the damage was beyond Jamie's control? sure, he wasn't the best brusher, and he definitely didn't know floss on a personal level... but looking at the shape of his teeth, even at glances, the damage was hard to ignore with the given context of past dentists not caring enough.</p><p>carefully he brushed his thumb against Jamie's lips, catching the man off guard from some kind of monologe he had been working himself into. Boris wasn't' really paying attention at present, words were really getting in the way of his current objective. he knew he needed them, but they were so easily tangled and tied up when not put the right way. so instead, for a moment, he conveyed through physical means. his thumb lightly brushing on Jamie's bottom lip, moving to push up the upper lip. it showed off those first few teeth, which had scars of braces that had been improperly removed. fill ins of cavities that had been, and spaces between the teeth from failed 'alignment'. his teeth were sharp in all of the right places, and dull in all of the wrong. no one's teeth should be that dull..</p><p>without thought, he brushed the pad of his thumb across the upper teeth in Jamie's mouth. they were too smooth, their ridges gone. from k-9 to k-9, they had been filed down to make 'neat' and 'clean' edges. he knew it was something some people requested for, as stupid as it was... but he knew it was not something Jamie had asked for. he knew what sore spot it was. even now, with his careful touch, he saw the little tremors that went through Jamie's form at the touch. </p><p>shifting his thumb down, he tugged lightly at the edge of his mouth, giving him a bit more glancing way to the back parts of his mouth. more fillings, so many fillings. so many cavities this man had had, it almost made him want to chuckle. but he didn't, the gap in his mouth keeping him soberly in check. another mistake on those who should have known better. another flaw that Jamie hyper fixated on when pointed out. his mouth was just as much as a wreck...as it was also beautiful. while Boris didn't carry the mentality that scars were something to be seen as beautiful, wonderous markings that you survived something terrible, it was a thought process Jamie had tried to adapt in his own life. his mouth was just...a sore spot</p><p>Boris could understand that.</p><p>"u-uhm.." blinking at the noise that came from the mouth he was currently inspecting, Boris focused his attention now on the fairly red faced individual. still pressed against the door, eyes half lidded and his breaths coming out a bit quicker and warmer than before... oh!</p><p>"Sorr-e!" green coloring his cheeks, he'd pull his hand away, giving Jamie some breathing room as he straightened up. the man nearly doubled over, placing his hands on his legs now to keep him from completely slipping to the floor. it wasn't like Boris had his fingers in his MOUTH every day, after all! it's not like he was touched every day, either. his whole body was thrumming from the contact, his heart racing with the want for more and the confusion of exactly why. all he had done was touch his lips !! and his teeth!!!</p><p>GAH!</p><p>"Hmmm m.." nervously humming, Boris nodded lightly as he fidgeted "well...i did not sea 'it'... but I..." taking a breath, he'd look to Jamie with a steady gaze (despite the darker green blush on his face) "..but Jamie, if U r that a-fraid 2 go to another den-tist... well.." he'd rub his hands together, a feeling of dread setting in the back of his throat...but no, no. he was going to offer this. he was going to help one of his longest and dear friends with the skills he had at his disposal. he could do this. he wasn't one any more, he was a florist, but still. "I could offer...help...with it. I could b ur den-tist."</p><p>the offer hung in the air, almost tangible with it's weight as they stared at each other. Boris's expression was sincere, if not a little vulnerable. while Jamie's was wide eye'd with shock and redder than a tomato. there was quiet that was broken only to each individual by the sound of their own heart beats quickening in their chests.</p><p>for Boris, he was afraid he had over stepped, or perhaps even frightened Jamie. <em>Him</em>? a <strong><em>dentist</em></strong>?? after everything he had done before?! no sane person would ever trust him to go into their mouth with any tools, let alone ones that would numb you or make you take leave of your senses! the idea of using any gas on Jamie just made him cringe inside. surely he wouldn't be open to the idea at all. surely he would turn him down and seek help with actual professtionals who hadn't gone off their rocker. he wouldn't want Boris sitting over him, working on his teeth in a close proximity. sure they were friends but...would that make Jamie uncomfortable..?</p><p>but for Jamie, there was a different and similar level of panic happening. Boris? offering to what?? fix his??? teeth??? the first thought attached to that was 'for free???' would he have to pay him??? would he have to contact insurance?? no, probably not. he could probably just get him some really cool flowers or plants or something, right? an exchange of services? that sounded like a radical idea, yeah. ok, so next thought : BORIS WOULD BE WORKING ON HIS MOUTH!??! that thought was too gay even for him to really process it fully. </p><p>would he be uncomfortable with that?? they'd be fairly close to each other for a fair decent amount of time. could he handle that? sitting through the whole process? would it bother him?? make him upset??? would it be alright?? or would it be over stepping bounds. would it be too obvious that he-</p><p>"uhM" Jamie squeaked, stopping both of their spirals downward as he pat the door a few times, getting himself straightened up as best as some one like him could "okay, ok...first lemme just um...lemme pop a squat, hold on, i cannot feel my legs" laughing lightly, he'd shakily move over to the couch, tugging Boris along by the sleeve as he did. the action caused the taller man to perk up ever so slightly, like a flower that had gotten it's first glimpse of sunlight in days. following eagerly along, he moved to sit beside Jamie as he himself flopped down on it. resting a hand on his face, taking deep breaths, he tugged lightly on Boris's sleeve after a few moments of silence, finding his voice again to communicate</p><p>"okay..i need to make sure i heard you correctly, before my brain goes too far with what i think i thought i head.." raising his hand up, he'd look up at Boris questioningly, taking note of the green still darkened on his cheeks and the nervous set of his mouth and brow "...were you offering to fix my teeth??"</p><p>wordless, Boris nodded, focusing his gaze more on Jamie's hand on his sleeve. he didn't know how to express how scared he was to offer this, but how he felt he should. it wasn't something he could offer to many, it wasn't something he'd take lightly. to do dentristry again made his skin clamy and his throat dry...but if it'd help a friend? he'd do it in a heart beat. he was actually quite good when he was at his 'peak' of it.</p><p>but the fear of frightening the other kept him silent, his anxiety coiling around him as he himself followed his own steps to keep it from over taking him. he took a breath, held it, and breathed out</p><p>"okay...then uh...how would i pay you? would you want flowers or-"</p><p>"what"</p><p>"yeah like what would you like?" either missing or ignoring Boris's wide eyed disbelief, Jamie sat up "i could prob get you some really neat and forigen plants. i know a guy back in Crossroads city. real flowery guy whose like a friend of my friend's brother or something. so like seeds or maybe potted things or-"</p><p>"wait wait wait" Boris held up a hand, shaking it to ask for his moment to now voice his confusion, since his voice had come back just to do that, which as to speak "U r okay with it? if I fixed ur teeth...?"</p><p>"uuhh...yeah? yeah" nodding slowly, Jamie tapped his knees a bit, in thought as he made sure his words weren't a lie. he had some times a habit (hah) to just say things to make others happy but...he was working on that. so he thought about it, very hard. yes, Boris had threatened to steal at least 22-ish peoples teeth like a year or couple ago (who really kept track of time, ammirite). but that was behind him, behind all of them. if Jamie hadn't been over it, he wouldn't be here, sittin in this room right next to the big guy. looking up to Boris, he tried to see if he felt any fear what so ever. sure, Boris was physically strong, but never had he ever given Jamie a reason to really fear that strength. he'd never lain a hand on Jamie in cruelty or anger. his words were much worse than his bite in that regard. and after all of the years of healing, of therapy, of working on it...no, Boris was a good man. a good, giant man. a good, green, giant man.</p><p>he snickered at his own thoughts, earning himself a confused tilt of the head by Boris, but he waved it off with a soft "gentle green giant.."</p><p>so no, there was no fear. there was anxiety though, or perhaps just anxiousness in general? that was normal for dentristy in general. i mean, he'd probably have to get his teeth scraped, or poked or something. Boris would see how much of a shit brusher and flosser he was. all of that was rinse and repeat for every dentist he ever been to. but dentists were there to help, that was there job. they helped you by telling you the state of your teeth and how best to keep them healthy. so even it was bad, he wouldn't make fun of him for it. he wouldn't punish him for it. yeah</p><p>but if all of that was out of the way, then the last nervous feeling was so completely incomprehensible that he didn't want to dane it any more thought, but he had to to be honest. he was nervous about Boris doing this because...well... he <em>liked</em> Boris. the idea of this large, beautiful man having him lay down and work over him, even if it was mostly on his mouth (maybe even more so because of that?) had him flat lining and flushing red. what if he had bad breath? what if he had good breath and Boris leaned close again? what if Boris was bothered by his teeth? well, actually, he had just kinda looked inside of his mouth a few moments prior so...what if he LIKED his teeth? </p><p>why did that make him happy??</p><p>very confused, very flustered, very trying not to be, Jamie took a breath and shook out his hands, placing them on his knees and nodding "yeah, ok i double checked. I am alright wit hyou fixing my teeth. i'm nervous, but like...that's not directly cause of you" placing a hand on Boris's, he'd smile "it's just me being hung up on some silly things...and i'd like to get past them some day, so...yeah. yes. if you uhm...if you wanna do this, cuz i can't...i really can't imagine this is an easy thing to offer-"</p><p>"It's not" Boris blurted, causing Jamie to smile a bit wider</p><p>"i didn't think so... but i'll accept it if YOU are sure...because you don't HAVE to do this. you don't. i'm a big adult man, i can find a dentist and i can ask some one to come with me to the office. i can talk to people and make sure i am heard and just..I CAN do this. i'm perfectly capable. so...with that voiced...are you sure you wanna do this?" he'd tilt his head to the side, lightly squeezing Boris's hand "is it going to hurt you more than it's going to help? really think on that"</p><p>'hurt more than help?' </p><p>that seemed to take Boris up short, Jamie watching him as his gaze shifted away from his face and towards their hands. he knew Boris, and knew he'd push through his own discomfort to get to an end. the means justifying. even if Boris had taken many steps to take care of himself, to not let his bad thoughts or feelings cloud his judgement. even if he had taken so much time to learn, good intentions could be bad choices dressed in fine suits. and...well, sure. Jamie would rather a friend working on the inside of his mouth than a stranger. he'd rather some one like Boris, who knew his anxiety and limits, than some one who would ignore them, or scold him for them.</p><p>so they sat there quietly in the warm, dimly lit living room. it had been some time since the kids had been put to sleep now, and only the lamp near the wooden wall gave them lighting. it was a warm color, and it illuminated them in it's glow. Boris, still focusing on their hands, squeezed Jamie's softly while he thought. going through his own mental check list, or his own 'system check up'. </p><p>and after a moment, he nodded, eyes blinking and flickering up to Jamie "...I still feel the same way, but may-b we sleep on it? so you can go back 2 ur apart-ment, and... i will think more on it, see if it changes with time?"</p><p>perking up lightly, Jamie nodded, giving a genuinely excited smile "yeah, that sounds great actually.. there is no rush, so we can both just think on it. you can think on it" brushing his fingers on Boris's, he gave his hands a good squeeze " i'm glad you're taking the time...but speaking of which!" he'd look down to his phone, and oh boy, the next bus would be coming in a little bit! "i'll text you when i get on the bus, okay? and when i get home...y'know I'll just text you"</p><p>with a gentle laugh, he'd stand, watching as Boris rose with him and made his way to the door with him. the way over to it wasn't very long, but felt different with the way their hands stayed together. like otters trying not to drift apart from each other. it was only when the door was opened and Jamie stepped out that they finally had to let go</p><p>"Jamee?"</p><p>"yeah?" turning around, he'd catch the slightly worried look in Boris's eyes, looking past them at teh woods that seperated his cottage from the main road, then back to him "what's up big guy..?"</p><p>"Just... b care-full. o-k??"</p><p>the corner of his lips curling up, Jamie gave him a nod "don't worry, i grew up in the woods. i'm probably the scariest thing walking up the drive way at this time of night. bears won't mess with me. other cryptids wish to be me. fish fear me." as he babbled, he'd step off the porch, throwing his arms out and talking fairly loudly "AND ALL THE MEN AND WOMEN WANNA GET SOMMA THIS"</p><p>"oh gosh-"</p><p>"YEAH BABY IM A HOT TICKET ITEM" Jamie hopped a few times, making quite the racket that if there WERE forest critters...they were probably scammpering off now "GET YOUR CAMERAS, BIG FOOTS COUSIN IS WALKIN'"</p><p>"U R LUCKY I DO NOT 'HAVE' NEIGHBORS" Boris called just a bit loudly, just enough to be heard, but not wanting to wake the kids inside the house</p><p>"YOU'RE LUCKY I'M NOT YOUR NEIGHBOR, IM LIKE THIS IN THE CITY TOO" throwing his arms out one last time, Jamie gave two arm wave and headed his way up the driveway, walking backwards until he was out of sight. till Boris and his porch were hidden by the trees and the darkness there of them. the warmth of the cottage in the woods faded, and he was left with teh cool light of the distant street lamp and the bus stop it illuminated</p><p>however the sound of a '-ding!-' in his pocket made him smile, turning to continue walking up the driveway but with his phone as his light source now, texting Boris, who had already sent him a message.</p><p>and texting him when he got to the top of the driveway</p><p>and laughing at a silly animal picture he just HAD to send to Boris while he sat at the stop</p><p>and discussing the possibilities of the procedure, as Boris went through some of his old tools</p><p>to wondering if vets had to take care of animal teeth too</p><p>then funny pictures of animals brushing their teeth (both real and fake)</p><p>and as he got off at the donut station in town, he made his way down the hill towards his apartment. a few of the other ex-Habitian's lived in the area. in fact, Dallas and Parsley's place was actually just a street behind his place. walking into the building with a swipe of his key car, he snapped a photo as proof he had made it home 'safe'. </p><p>mail box checked, he headed down the hall and past the many doors, to the door that was his own, and the mewling could be heard on the other side. with a swift open, he'd scoop up the kitten that was waiting there for him, making his way inside and snapping a selfie in the process.</p><p>Jamie didn't put the phone down when he got changed and into comfortable clothes</p><p>or even during dinner (he just made some ramen)</p><p>especially not when he flopped down on the couch, kitten on his chest and some mindless show playing on the big computer screen</p><p>he didn't even set it down when his eyes got heavier, still texting away to the man who claimed to have gone to bed at least 4 times by now. but the cute animal pictures begged to differ.</p><p>but..in an odd way, it brought a smile to his face. staring at the dimly lit screen, tapping on the images to download them, and telling Boris that he needed to sleep. having the company as he pulled the blanket over the back of teh couch and onto him and the curled up cat on his chest made him feel all the warmer.</p><p>with a yawn, he'd send a blurry message to the man</p><p>[cryptid_toejam] hey...i hoope you skeep well...thaank you for everythin g tonig nt</p><p>[eldrich-flower] U R wel.Come sleeep well Jammmmmmmmmme</p><p>[eldrich-flower] al.smot slep t on Em</p><p>[cryptid_toejam] lol</p><p>even when the buzzing stopped, when the messages quieted</p><p>even when his eyes drew heavy, his arm curled up to him to have his phone close to his ear, in case it rang or buzzed</p><p>Jamie didn't set the phone down, not once.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Appointment</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>jamie goes to get his teeth checked out and fixed</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>the sound of the bus leaving past them made the reality of this afternoon finally really dawn on the man standing at it's stop</p><p>in front of the woods</p><p>and the path that was going to lead him to his first dental check up in years</p><p>oh boy.</p><p>standing there in the semi early afternoon (early for him any way, being as nocturnal as he was), the grey clouds hung overhead with the hint of rain hanging from their darkest points. it was a cooler day, cooler than it had been that summer, and some how that simultaneously comforted and unnerved him. </p><p>it was probably more of why he was here that was making a chill go down his back, and less the weather.</p><p>when he had woken up the other day, he had received several new messages from Boris you see. the conversation they had slightly deviated from having been picked up during the day, while Jamie was asleep. mostly it had been Boris 'thinking out loud' so to speak. but many of them were actual explanations of what could and couldn't be done. how it would go, how he'd go about it and the so on and such forth.</p><p>Jamie was familiar enough with Dentist(tm) to understand some of the things that he had explained (mostly just about the scraping of the teeth and the checking for cavities, everything else was lost on him) but none of it really unnerved or bothered him.</p><p>all it had done was call back the heat that had crossed his face, and what had begun to creep along his neck now.</p><p>walking down the driveway, he pulled out his phone and sent a quick 'comin down now' before shoving it in his pocket. he had agreed the other day, after another talk had been discussed. without the real concern for insurance or bodily harm, there wasn't really any worry of being hurt or it being messed up. the proper equipment the good denti- the good <em>gardener</em> already had. there would be no laughing gas used, at all, period.</p><p>Jamie had been very clear on that. he would rather be aware of what was going on than not. and the...connections with the gas were still uncomfortable, for the both of them. Boris had happily agreed.</p><p>so a day had passed. Boris had set up whatever he needed, and Jamie had mentally prepared himself for the whole situation. again, the dentist was not a scary thing for him. the worst part was probably the needles when and if injections had to be given. but other than that? it was just another thing you did. like eating or brushing your teeth, it was just another task that had to be done at times.</p><p>but...<em>Boris</em> doing it was a whole other story. it was like a dream and a nightmare coming true at the same time, and left him with butterflies with mixed up signals in his stomach. was he supposed to be excited, or distressed? he didn't know, and so he was both. because apparently there was enough room in his brain to house the very conflicting storms of emotions.</p><p>trying to calm the heat on his face and the beating of his heart, Jamie took a deep breath of the forest around him. the tall trees smelled as they always did before rain. their leaves rustled faintly with a breeze higher up, and the muted lighting of grey gave the world beneath the spacy canopy a muted green coloration.</p><p> he focused on the feeling of the pads of his feet going over the rocks and dirt of this driveway. how it felt to feel his toe beans press against each different texture, how they shifted or didn't. how his claws lightly grasped when a particularly larger rock was underneath him, feeling the scrape against them. he knew he could walk quieter if he wanted, but he just wasn't focusing on that, instead now focusing on the different colored rocks on the road and seeing if there were any he could pilfer for his plants and collection back home.</p><p>several dozen dippings later and a pocket full of rocks, Jamie managed to get to the bottom of the driveway. there were quite a few dozen different types of minerals and he was quite curious to find out if any of them were anything in particular when he got back home. but for now, he was looking up at the cabin that sat so comfortably nestled in the midst of these woods. it was... both large, and not, for a cabin. it was more than likely based off of your typical home, however the proportions had been stretched and changed to accommodate the individual who lived here and made his home within it's walls. the steps were just a little bit larger than what was considered typical. the door stood at a intimidating height, making Jamie feel as if it were looming over him, expectantly.</p><p>that creeping mixed feelings stormed in his gut and rose to his throat, burning against his cheeks and making his skin clammy. what an odd mixture, the perfect internal struggle of temperatures to cause a tornado. perhaps that was the already state of his mind, or not quite yet. he was still breathing evenly, even as his heart hammered in his chest and caused his blood to race throughout him. a tremble in his hands, his knees feeling just the slightest wobbily, Jamie cleared his throat and reached out to knock on the door.</p><p>but instead of his knuckles rapping lightly against the wood of the door (were most doors made out of wood any more?), it was instead met with the soft chest of the good gardener. Boris opened the door, looking curiously to Jamie as his knuckles ever so lightly brushed against his mid-torso</p><p>and at that very moment, Jamie could feel his soul escape from his body. called to the heavens to be spared the embarrassment of that moment.</p><p>"Oh, hell-o Jamie!" Boris smiled happily to the husk of the shell of the cryptid that had once been, ignoring both the paleness of his skin and the the contrasting blush that persisted against his cheeks "I thought I 'heard' U comimg. Please come in"</p><p>a squeak of a noise was what responded to the tall man first, before Jamie was able to call his soul back to his body. embarrassment aside, he was able to manage a "thanks" that was just about as squeaky as a dog's chew toy. scuttling inside, he'd begin to take off his jacket as he gave a glance around the house. looking much the same as it did the other day, a few key differences stood out to him. one of the biggest were the lack of small bodies around the house, but that was something that had been discussed as well. not wanting children around for all of this, they were over at a sleep-over at Kamal's and some of the other kids their age. it would keep them from being curious as to why it had been suggested, and gave Boris enough time to set up the 'operating room'.</p><p>which was the second thing Jamie noticed, handing his jacket to Boris with very little thought as he caught sight of it. the room at the bottom of the stairs, which was something of a office for Boris most times, had the familiar lighting of a dentist's office. more than likely from whatever lamp or light was needed or was going to be used to illuminate the faults in his teeth. a gulp came from him as he felt his fur prickle in distress at that. it added to the contrasting temperatures inside of him. every flaw with his teeth was going to be put on proper display now for his friend(?) to see. that was the whole point of this endeavor, hah! to just let this man he respected and liked poke around his mouth and then see how bad he was at brushing or flossing and <em>oh god he couldn't do this</em>.</p><p>maybe if he turned around right now and ran as fast as he could, he could get out of the door before it closed and go race off into the woods like the creature he was. wild animals didn't have to brush their teeth, right? it was fine. it was fine. He was finE-</p><p>the door was shut</p><p>and Jamie knew true fear.</p><p>"would U lik n-e-thimg 2 drink?" Boris offered, seemingly unaware of the meltdown currently going on in Jamie's soul. hanging the offered jacket on the coat hooks by the door, he went about per the usual of being in his own home. the only major difference was that his hair was tied back. neat and tidy and out of his face. it matched the clothes in which he had donned, nicely pressed light blue button up shirt and pants that matched. without the jacket, one could mistake them as pajamas.</p><p>but Jamie knew better.</p><p>even with slippers on, Jamie knew they were his 'work' clothes. he wasn't quite sure why he didn't have the jacket on, other than the fact it was probably still stained.</p><p>he remembered how it had gotten stained, too, and that made the more cold sweat to cling to the nape of his neck as he shuffled along in after Boris.</p><p>"uhh...uh...water, I guess. I don't think I should have too much before the uh...c-check up"</p><p>"Mm...prob-bab-ly not, no" the taller man hummed, opening up his cabinets and getting a glass, which he proceeded to bring to the sink to fill with "But it is still 'polite' 2 offer" </p><p>"sure sure" the man breathed out, running his fingers through his fluffy hair, trying to bring himself some sense of calm or composure. okay Jamie, this wasn't that big of a deal. you had done odd things for him in the past too! it was just...i t was just being a good friend, yeah! a good friend who you were going to let poke around in your mouth and maybe operate on you. it was fine, totally chill. breathe in through your nose, and out through your mouth</p><p>the smell of the house was actually quite pleasant, Jamie only picking up on it after a few deep breaths in. it had an almost sweet smell to it. it stuck to the inside of his senses, helping him to calm ever so slightly as he tried to pick up on it's differing scents. he didn't have per say the sharpest nose in the world, but he could at least pick out the faintest smell of something with a spice in it, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.</p><p>tail swaying slowly, Jamie made his way behind the couch, pointedly ignoring the door he knew he'd have to go into soon. his nose was leading him as he heard Boris begin coming out of the kitchen</p><p>"here is ur water, Jamee" humming, the large green giant looked curiously as the cryptid had found his way over to a potted plan by a window. they were small, and bunched together. rough around the edge petals that were white with a rich pink splashed in the center of it, spreading out to each petal. while not the entirety of the scent in the room, which one could only surmise was the conjoined scents of all of the flowers and plants that made their home inside of this cabin, it certainly stood out in that moment.</p><p>tail swaying slowly, the cryptid's ears flicked backwards, showing he had heard Boris, but his attention still more on the plant "Hmm..these smell nice. what are they?"</p><p>"O! they R called 'dianthus'" Boris made short work of getting over to Jamie's side, offering the glass of water as he looked at the pretty little flowers. one large, clawed finger gently brushed against their petals as a smile settled on his lips "they R delicate flowers that quite enjoy the warm and rainy weather. they were gifted 2 me by Tiff on her travels. I have enjoyed growimg them" there was pride in his voice as his hand moved to the pot, gently petting the side of it like one would typically pet an animal.</p><p>the way he spoke about the flowers held Jamie's attention, watching the softness that touched on his eyes and lips when he did. for a moment, he could feel himself actually settling down, distracted by this moment of softness</p><p>"They look really good Boris. you are doing a fantastic job with all your plants" smiling a smidge, he'd turn his attention to the plants, ducking down so he could very delicately place a single pad of his finger against them "what do they mean, if ya know?"</p><p>"e-erm" </p><p>his hesitation made Jamie's ear flick, the gardener moving away from the plant and going towards the sink "I-I am not rememberimg right now...but I do need 2 go wash my hands! why don't U head into my office and we can get started"</p><p>annnnd then there went all of the distraction he had had. the situation at hand dawned back upon him, and he could feel the heat rising to his face and warming every single strand of fur along the way. ah, yes. the appointment. how could he forget the dull throbbing pain of a tooth and the paralyzing fear(?) of having your ex-boss look inside of your mouth for it.</p><p>how could that have POSSibLY slipped his mind.</p><p>"s-sure.." managing a croak of a response, Jamie watched Boris retreat to his own kitchen, the sound of the tap rushing quickly with a-little-too-hard thud of the sink handle. leaving Boris to prepare himself, the cryptid took a breath and made his way towards the 'office' in question. pushing the door open, which had been left ajar, he peered into the setting with a curious gaze.</p><p>very much the 'office' of the house, there was his desk and computer. some filing cabinets. more potted plants, of course, the lined the far wall. though the curtains of there were currently drawn shut. to help, he wondered? which one of them, he didn't know. because sitting in the center of the room was the chair.</p><p>why had Boris kept it???</p><p>Jamie would know that chair any where.  it had been very much made more comfortable looking, with pillows and paddings having been (what he could only assume recently) applied to it. the wrist straps were gone, too.</p><p>or, out of sight.</p><p>his tail curled around his leg.</p><p>this wasn't the same office, and he knew it. it wasn't the same place with the sprawling drawings on the wall, or the bent and broken pipes. it wasn't the same place where he had found a bloody mouthed Flower Kid or a on-the-edge Boris... no, it wasn't.</p><p>it was just the same.fucking.chair-</p><p>Jamie couldn't do this.</p><p>the room was swaying and swirling around him..was he being gased again? was he drugged? what was in the water, had he drunk it? wait...was he breathing? he inhaled, nope. wasn't breathing. he took a few more breaths in, trying to steady himself. the fear that was coursing through him was mixing oddly inside of his brain and stomach, an odd over-whelming feeling mixing from the very two different states he found himself feeling. his mind was afraid. so very, very afraid</p><p>his body, on the other hand...</p><p>ugh.</p><p>'keep a level head' he thought to himself stubbornly. this was just a check up. he could get through this, and hey! if Boris COULD fix his tooth, it'd be a hellva lot cheaper. and if he couldn't theeennnn... he'd at least know he had to get other help! yeah, it was going to be fiiiinne. toooootalllllyyy fiiiinnnne.</p><p>walking across the room, counting his steps as he counted his breaths, Jamie glanced around the dental chair with a some what curious gaze. there was the table for all of the supplies he would need, no doubt. none of them were lain out just yet, perhaps to keep him from being anxious at seeing them? maybe. there were also more do-dads here than Boris had originally had. it...actually looked like a legit chair, and not something some one had dragged out of a horror theme park about dentist equitment. there was the sucky thing for your spit, and the watery thing to clean things. and...wait what did THAT do???</p><p>poking at one of the strange nozzles, his ears flicked curiously at it's shape. it almost looked like something you'd clean tools or gears with...maybe it was a tooth polisher? he hadn't the foggest. it was actually odd, almost silly, how little he knew about dentistry even after spending so much time with dentists! to think!! he didn't even know what half of these things were!! </p><p>it actually got a laugh out of the cryptid, rubbing his face as he ran his fingers through his hair... the humor of the situation helping to ground him just a little bit. he could honestly get through this, it wouldn't be THAT bad. all he had to do was flop down in the chair and wait for Boris to come in. the check up would go, and he'd be able to just have a regular day with his friend after wards.</p><p>piece of cake.</p><p>he sat down in the chair and lean backed, squinting faintly at the light above him that was just a liiiittle too much in his eyes for comfort. he pushed it away, giving a glance up at the ceiling</p><p>and his body froze, nails digging into the cushioned handles of this chair. the unmistakable red eyes, orange nose and cyan mouth stared down at him. illuminated in the dark of the room, it seemed to stare down at him unblinkingly, as if transfixed with Jamie's form on the chair.</p><p>heart hammering, he could feel the pressure of the shadow upon him, even as it didn't move. it was engraved in his mind, not something easily forgotten after so many years. why wasn't it moving? what did it want?? what was it just doing, sitting up there?? was Habit watching him??? wHY??? wHAT did he WANt whAT waS HE GOing To-</p><p>the door opened and Jamie flinched, eyes wide as Boris gave a little greeting. a wave of his hand behind a mask that hid his mouth</p><p>"O-K!" the lights flicked on and Jamie was momentarily blinded "I thimk it is time 2 be-gin. dom't U?"</p><p>the door shut behind him, and Jamie gulped from his position on the chair, glancing up at the now very illuminated ceiling, and the very lack of a shadowy figure on it</p><p>"y-yea...sure doc"</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>hey if people like this maybe i'll make a boris/reader version of something like this :3c</p><p>also i can never apparently to just write a one off \o/</p></blockquote></div></div>
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